(Not Applicable)
(Not Applicable)
The present, invention relates generally to bibs for infants and small children, and more particularly to an improved bib which is adapted to be collapsible after use for containing any soil-causing fragments (e.g., food fragments) and soiling caused thereby within the bib.
It is a common practice for a parent to employ the use of a bib to prevent the garment of his or her infant and/or small child from becoming soiled. Indeed, various types of children""s bibs are currently available from manufacturers of infant products. Though such currently known and available children""s bibs achieve their primary objective of protecting an infant""s and/or small child""s garment, they possess certain deficiencies which detract from their overall utility.
Perhaps the greatest deficiency of the prior art children""s bibs is their inability to fully contain the soiling after being used. Specifically, soil-causing fragments such as excess food fragments tend to scatter all over the surrounding areas once the bib is taken off. Additionally, the soiling caused by such fragments upon the bib oftentimes smear or rub off the child""s garments, ultimately defeating the purpose of even wearing the bib in the first place. Even worse, such soiling may further contaminate the immediate areas surrounding the child which may undesirably lead to permanent marring of furniture, carpets and the like.
Another deficiency exists in that elastic strings and/or draw strings are typically used around a child""s neck area to apply the prior art bibs upon the child. This may lead to dire consequences such as choking the child due to the contraction of the elastic strings and/or draw strings. In this respect, the use of these strings pose a dangerous and unnecessary risk to the child who is typically unable to fully appreciate the consequences resulting from such risk.
Further deficiency characterizing the prior art children""s bib is their lack of ability to be quickly and conveniently applied upon the infant and/or small child. Typically, the parent must apply the bib through the child""s head and arms first only to engage it tautly from the back. This may prove to be very laborious for the parent as the child typically tends to become agitated and thus squirm considerably when the parent attempts to put the bib on. As such, the parent may find the bib to be more of an inconvenience rather than a relief, especially when it is used multiple times throughout the day.
Another deficiency exists in the prior art where bibs using elastic wrists are not adjustable to the size of the child""s wrist which thereby causes fluids to seep into the sleeves and soils the underlying clothes.
In view of the above-described shortcomings of conventional children""s bibs, there exists a need in the art for a bib which can rapidly and easily contain soil-causing fragments (e.g., food fragments) and soiling caused thereby after its use. Further, there exists a need in the art for a bib which can be conveniently and quickly applied upon the child while it is safe to use by being risk-free of choking the child.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a bib for preventing soil-causing fragments from soiling a garment worn upon a wearer""s body. The bib comprises a body-engaging member configured to engage the wearer""s body for preventing the soil-causing fragments from soiling the garment worn thereupon. This body-engaging member has upper and lower body regions. A first pouch is formed about the lower body region and is openable towards the upper body region for capturing the soil-causing fragments. Furthermore, a second pouch is formed about the lower body region over the first pouch and is openable away from the upper body region. The second pouch may receive the upper body region when folded and deposited thereinto so as to contain the soil-causing fragments and the soiling caused thereby within the bib.
The body-engaging member is preferably fabricated from a water-resistant material. The water-resistant material may be fabric. The body-engaging member also comprises two opposing side body portions each having a sleeve extending away therefrom. The sleeves each define a sleeve end with a sleeve opening wherein each of the sleeve ends may have a hook-and-loop fastener for adjusting the respective sleeve opening. Further, a neck-cutout is formed about the upper body region between the two opposing side body portions.
In the present invention, the body-engaging member comprises two substantially identical back body pieces forming a back body portion thereof when engaged to each other. The back body pieces each have an upper back flap extending away therefrom. The back body pieces form a back opening therebetween when the upper back flaps are extended toward and engaged with each other. Each of the upper back flaps may comprise a hook-and-loop fastener so as to be adjustably engaged with each other.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first and second pouches are each preferably fabricated from a material identical to that of the body-engaging member. Additionally, the first and second pouches preferably extend across the lower body region between the two opposing side body portions. The second pouch is adapted to open in an opposite direction than the first pouch. The soil-causing fragments may be food fragments.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, there is provided a method of protecting a garment worn upon a wearer""s body. Such method comprises the step of first engaging a bib with upper and lower body regions upon the garment worn on the wearer""s body. The next step is to define a first pouch formed about the lower body region and which is sized and configured to open towards the upper body region. Similarly, a second pouch which is formed about the lower body region over the first pouch is also defined. The second pouch is sized and configured to open away from the upper body region.
The method further features the steps of preventing soil-causing fragments from soiling the garment with the bin and capturing the soil-causing fragments with the first pouch. Thereafter, the bib is disengaged from the garment wherein the upper body region is folded towards the second pouch. Lastly, the method comprises the step of depositing the folded upper body region into the second pouch to contain the soil-causing fragments and the soiling caused thereby within the bib.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a bib. Such method first comprises the step of obtaining a template having upper and lower template regions. The method also comprises the step of forming a first longitudinal template region, and further a second longitudinal template region having a peripheral geometry similarly sized and configured as the first longitudinal template region when superimposed thereupon. The next step includes defining an inner template portion, an outer template portion, an intermediate template portion and a hem template portion about the lower template region. The outer template portion is placed over the inner template portion.
Subsequently thereafter, the intermediate template portion and the hem template portion are placed underneath the outer template portion. The method then comprises the step of superimposing the upper and lower template regions with each other. Lastly, the method comprises the step of engaging the respective peripheral geometries of the first and second longitudinal template regions to manufacture the bib.